Best Kept Wall Secrets
by DT.Cecil
Summary: Only the walls know the secrets of between them, and it was better for everyone involved that it was kept that way. Epigraph: It is dangerous to believe in things that can never be- Nemu Kurotsuchi A man with goals to attain cannot be distracted. My pride as a Quincy demands utter focus- Uryu Ishida Those who cross me will pray for death- Mayuri Kurotsuchi I only own this fanfic.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"With all due respect Head Captain," The captain of squad twelve said slowly through very gritted teeth, "what the fuck?"

Judging from the one raised eyebrow from the old man before him, that was clearly out of line and out of character, even for him. A statement like that could get him more than just a little time in jail for that but it needed to be said. Obviously, there must be sort of mistake.

The reason behind Mayuri currently fuming anger is found in a hell butterfly that flew to him a few hours earlier this morning ordering him to report to the Head Captain's Office immediately.

His patience dilapidated by the second.

The fact that his experiments could suffer because of this decision by the head captain, abraided him in untold ways. Mayuri had frowned in thought after listening to the message. Did this have anything to do with the recent development in the Quincy movement? Mayuri is not one to receive his information on the basis rumors. He ensured that he knew all things that happen in the Seiretei at all times. In the space of time since he's set up his secret surveillance camera systems all over the Seireitei, he's amounted a treasure trove of data, ranging from mundane activities of soul reapers to the most debauched of fetishes. And had become an unabashed voyeur as he observes couples secretly pleasure one another- (well, as secretly as they thought). Some had really surprised him and _that's_ saying something!

He's been keeping abreast with any changes in the reports that fluttered into the Squad One's barracks, there was nothing that Head Captain Yamamoto could say to him that he didn't already know. Still, he'd venture up there on the premise of the order. His experiments were paramount-yes- but to ignore the order of the Head Captain was to ask for unnecessary trouble.

He'd ignore any pleasantries offered up from lower ranks on his arrival at the barracks, focusing on making his way to the Head Captain's office in as short an order as possible.

"Head Captain," Mayuri intoned evenly as he was permitted entry into the open office. As usual, there was nothing there but a desk, three bare walls, one large window terrace, and the head Captain and his lieutenant faithfully behind him.

"Captain Kurotsuchi," The Head Captain eyes peeked through their heavy wrinkled shuttered at him.

"May I have the details of this requested summons?" Mayuri said without delay, his impatience edging to the surface as he's anxious to get back to his lab. Every second away from his work was like a blow to his time schedule. The need to be there grinds on his mind like a mental press and only by supervising every detail and facet and witnessing the relationships between changes and results, can he be eased of this pressure. It gnawed at him. Both his gift and his curse.

The quicker this was over, the better it would be for Mayuri.

The balded man took his measure, sleeved elbows on the humble desk and fingers stapled before his face and Mayuri could immediately tell that he was not going to be released as soon as he wanted.


	2. Chapter 1

_**1**_

 _ **Soul Society- Squad Twelve Barracks.**_

 _The World Of the Living can plunge one into fantasies unbidden._ Nemu allowed herself a thought.

Rangiku had just returned from another of her _fun_ _unplanned vacations_ \- whatever those are - and had been chattering all about it nonstop to the other women at the weekly meeting of the Shinigami Women's Association. Nemu liked Rangiku, which meant she didn't feel the need to put her under a microscope piece by piece for study. As an artificial life form, it was not lost on her that she views things differently than others did. She is a shinigami- an entity of death, mistaken by many as a cruel aspect in the circle of life. But the Shinigami view Death as a scared result necessary for balance and a duty. That duty is given to all Shinigami as the highest honor. One should not want anything more than one's duties. That should be satisfactory enough to exist for.

Yet, when Rangiku speaks about her adventures in the World Of The Living so animatedly and the things she returns with; for a moment, they make Nemu's mind mill about the possibilities those knick-knacks and gift bags Rangiku was always ready to dish out to the ladies of the society, held. For a moment, her curiosity was peaked to the point of wonderment.

Nemu's never been to the World Of The Living unless under strict orders. She'd never been able to go anywhere without first requesting permission from her Captain. Doing so otherwise would result in her being punished in the most imaginative ways Master Mayuri could come up with. And he's not to be underestimated in that regard.

What would do if I did go there? What's it like to experience the phenomenon called 'shopping with friends' as Rangiku like to talk about?

With the number of things the busty strawberry blond took back to the Soul Society from her trips, much to the chagrin of Captain Hitsugaya, Nemu couldn't help wonder who carried the bags. Given Rangiku's lazy demeanor, she could easily imagine a comical image of the unfortunate soul who had to struggle to carry all that luggage in her head. At that, she allowed herself the faintest hint of a smile then it faded just before her Captain flash stepped into the Research Department, his reiatsu spelling...displeasure. A contrast to his impassive visage.

 _Fantasies are forbidden._ Her inner voice sounded small and shakey like a child who had been caught doing something wrong.

She assumes the appropriate posture; slim arms clasp before her, head bowed waiting for her master and adopted father to pass her by so that she could follow him. Obedience and loyalty demanded and delivered as she was designed for.

Externally she displayed poise composition. Not a wrinkle in sight nor hair out of place, her lieutenant's sash tied on her left arm in the right place. All the experiments were progressing as expected, the lab spotless and all personnel accounted for and on duty.

 _So what could have caused Master Mayuri to be in such a vexatious mood?_

Eyes searching the floor for answers to the questions in her head as malicious reiatsu grew ever nearer towards her.

Internally, her systems felt like they were on the brink of a cardiac failure.

With her heart thundering in her ears and her thoughts bombarding her mind of what she did or didn't do, she barely heard when Mayuri spoke the first time much more when he had passed her by. Fear had her in its grasp like a solid thing and it had no intention of letting her go. She knew it was foolish. She is a Death God, she should fear nothing but no matter what, she couldn't shake it. No matter how many times she tried to.

"Nemu!" Mayuri's voice slice through the constant commentary of thoughts running through her head.

"My sincerest apologies Master Mayuri." Nemu offered humbly.

Her head met the hard flooring before she could take another breath. The impact spider-webbed the tiles like shattered glass.

Nemu stifled a whimper. From the first hit in the early days of her creation when she had awakened to the countless others that had followed whenever she made a mistake and even when she had done nothing wrong, the punishments had not gotten easier to process.

A kick to her abdomen sent her flying across the lab and crashing into a column as if she was hit by a battering ram. Marble turned to dust under her on impact! Nemu bit into her bottom lip hard to keep herself from crying out.

 _Never cry out._

She'd learn a long time ago that crying out in pain or begging for mercy only encourages her Master to continue. Like a beast chasing of its prey, he reveled in it.

Mayuri's words echoed from across the large room. His questions demanded answers she couldn't provide.

"Is that all you can offer for wasting my time? You're useless apologies? Haven't you heard a word I've said? Should I pull you apart again as punishment for your insolence?" Black and white lips pull back from yellowed teeth in delight at the prospect.

Nemu manages to make it to her knees apologizing once again with her head low in submission, eyes to the floor. Though inwardly she was cowering. It's either that the beatings will continue or they would stop.

50/50 chance. Nemu was hoping for the latter.

Mayuri said nothing and she held her breath unknowing until the pressure in her lungs became unbearable. Slowly, she tried to breathe in and wince. One or more of her ribs must have cracked. Blood matted the hair on her right temple.

"Useless tramp," Mayuri muttered before something landed beside her and shattered. Nemu barely managed checked a flinch. "Report to Squad One in ten minutes and clean yourself up!"

Then he was gone.

It took her some effort to get up from her spot on the floor. Not because she had been injured greatly, only her modified soul had broken a little. An unmendable predicament for anyone to be in. Designed to be unconditionally loyal to her master, Nemu could only believe that there was something that she had not done hence the reason for the beating she had just received.

 _Yes, it is my doing for not..._ She thinks for a second, possibilities after possibilities running through her head _. For not following Master Mayuri when he'd walked past. It's my fault for not acting accordingly to what he willed._

A third thought occurred to her as she slowly stood to her feet.

 _But why must it be as he's willed?_

Nemu shook her head as if to dislodge the treasonous sentence from her mind bringing on a wave of dizziness.

Was it the implants that were causing her to think out of character?

A week before Mayuri had injected nano-mite implants into her systems as a new type of regeneration. They work sure enough and already her skin had enclosed the wound, erasing the damage as if it had never existed. New technology was sometimes unstable but so far there has been no trouble. Nothing to report, at least. She could feel her ribs mending almost immediately after her temple had been dealt with. Mayuri had not explained what the nano-mites did exactly, maybe he wasn't sure himself.

 _I had no right to be thinking about these things._

To override her thoughts, she repeated what she's always known to be true in her head over and over again.

 _My body and mind are Master Mayuri's to do as he wishes, I am his property and my loyalty is his and his alone._


End file.
